Main
Kara Brick
I have coordinated and facilitated dozens of workshops, lessons and instructional practica. I am currently mastering data skills to better society and tell the stories that need to be heard.
Currently searching for a data science position that allows me to build tools using visualization and machine learning to help people explore and understand their data, problems and solutions.
Education
Candidate, M.S., Program Evaluation and Data Analytics
Arizona State University
Phoenix, AZ
2021 - 2020
- Prospective Thesis: Interactive Qualitative Modelling from Law Enforcement Mental Health Encounters
- Graduate Student
B.S., Medical Laboratory Sciences
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas
2013 - 2011
- Clinical Laboratory Science Training
Research Experience
Research Associate
The Carter Center Mental Health Office in Partnership with BrainU Lab
Monrovia, Liberia and University of Minnesota
Present - 2018
- Co-coordinated and organized workshops in Neuroscience and Mental Health for High School Teachers. Collected and analyzed data on a team of senior researchers
- Facilitator, grant-writer, PI and trainer
- Data Collection and Field Coordinator
Peace Corps Volunteer Leader
Peace Corps Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia
2019 - 2018
- Trained and monitored incoming and junior volunteers
- Curricula writer, workshop coordinator
Industry Experience
Adult Literacy Class Co-Founder
Barclayville, Grand Kru County
Liberia
2019 - 2017
- Evaluated community needs, trained teachers in adult literacy, monitored and retrained teachers over 2 years
- Adapted curricula and co-taught night literacy class in a low-resource community
- Prinicipal Investigator on USAID Grant. Amount: $3,000
Peer Support Network Committee Member
Peace Corps LIberia
Grand Kru County, Liberia
2019 - 2016
- Supported peer, trainee and junior volunteers through active listening, supportive feedback, visits, phone calls, texts and voice notes
- Attended annual peer support training
- Organized training sessions for trainees regarding culture shock, depression and self-care
Teaching Experience
I am passionate about equitable and positive education and giving teachers and public service agents the tools they need to build community.
Literacy Teacher Trainer
Let’s Read Literacy Program
Liberia
2019 - 2017
- Adapted and designed curricula, procured funding and coordinated logistics for a series of literacy workshops for elementary school teachers
- Coordinated and performed follow-up observation and feedback for local teachers
- Co-facilitated and co-coordinated a series of workshops all over Liberia in low-resource communities
Teacher Trainer
The Carter Center Mental Health Office in Partnership with BrainU Lab
Monrovia, Liberia
2019 - 2018
- Trained trainers and teachers in neuroscience and mental health
- Topics included long and short term potentiation, feedback loops, neural pathways, memory formation, epigenetics, relationship-building and growth mindset
- Co-wrote and adapted sessions for Liberian context.
Student Friendly Schools Co-Facilitator
Peace Corps Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia
2019 - 2018
- Co-coordinated a workshop utilizing school administrators as facilitators in a workshop designed to build positive student-teacher relationships and reduce corporal punishment.Wrote and facilitated sessions using a strengths-based approach.
- Topics included relationship-building, emotional regulation, positive conflict resolution, corporal punishment reduction, growth mindset, and gender stereotype perception.
- Collected qualitative data on school administration attitudes regarding school pregnancy in 2016, wrote session in 2017, toured the country facilitating session in 2018.
High School Science Teacher
Barclayville High School
Grand Kru County, Liberia
2018 - 2016
- Wrote curricula, proficiency based testing
- Used gender equitable, critical thinking and literacy building teaching techniques
- 60+ students with widely variable literacy levels
Selected Data Science Writing
I have worked in a variety of roles ranging from teacher, lab technologist, trainer, and supporter. I thrive in collaboration.
Evaluating Mental Health Calls for Law Enforcement and Citizens
Prescott Police Department
Prescott, AZ
Present - 2020
- Evaluating community responses and law enforcement approaches to mental health calls using a qualitative approach
- Under Review
Selected Press (About)
Victoria Zawitkowski’s Workshop Tour Videos
Youtube
N/A
2019 - 2018
- My co-leader Vic made beautiful videos about our time on tour around Liberia by road, facilitating workshops and trying to keep it together under a grueling schedule.
Selected Press (By)
Writing Sample: Remembering Relationships for Students
Student Friendly Schools Workshops
Liberia
Present - 2017
- Adapted a session for Liberian students to encourage self-reflection, relationship-building, advocacy and conflict resolution.
- Written as a cross-cultural reference for American facilitators.
- Includes notes for trauma-informed facilitation and Liberian English translation
The Up and Down: A podcast for Americans in Liberia
N/A
N/A
2019 - 2017
- Created media for incoming volunteers to address issues of cultural accountability, appropriation, cross-cultural teaching and peer support.
A blog for cross-cultural musings
Liberia
N/A
2019 - 2016
- A personal blog about adjusting to another culture
Selected Publications, Posters, and Talks
Poster: Lessons from Training Liberian Public School Teachers in Neuroscience
19th WPA World Congress of Psychiatry
World Psychiatric Association
2019
- Contributing author with Dubinsky, J., PhD, Cooper, J., PhD, Mason, L. C.
Poster: The Power of Neuroscience to Change Teacher Attitudes and Practice in Liberia
Memory, Trauma and Human Rights at the Crossroads of Art and Science: A conference
University of Minnesota
2019
- Contributing author with Dubinsky, J., PhD, Cooper, J., PhD, Mason, L. C., and Faeflen, S.